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circulaR bioecOnomy Business mOdels owned by agroCOOPeratives

Project description

Bio-based business models valorising agricultural waste

The large-scale bioeconomy rollout requires new models for collaboration between the primary sector and other stakeholders in cooperative bioindustries. The EU-funded ROBOCOOP-EU project aims to develop circular bio-based business models to valorise waste from the grape, olive, and stone fruit sectors. It aims to diversify the economies of small- and medium-scale farmers and cooperatives by establishing a versatile biorefinery that produces a range of bio-based products. The goals are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 30 % through optimised supply chains and logistics, while establishing a zero-waste, multi-feedstock biorefinery based on existing extraction processes and validating 17 new products. The project will create living labs in Extremadura, Apulia, and Western Macedonia to identify sustainable pathways for biorefineries.

Objective

The bioeconomy roll-out on a large scale needs the establishment of new models and interactions between the primary sector and other stakeholders toward co-participated bioindustries.
In this sense, ROBOCOOP-EU proposes a breakthrough cultural change in the agrosector, by deploying effective regional and circular bio-based Business Models for the valorisation of waste streams from 3 agricultural sectors: grape, olive and stone fruit. This will expand real scenarios of commercial opportunities to diversify the economy of small and medium scale farmers and cooperatives, enabling a more versatile biorefinery with a portfolio of biobased products. This model will allow the integration of secondary streams in a holistic closed loop, thus improving the ecological footprint and revenues with social impact.
ROBOCOOP-EU will: involve 8 actors of the primary sector in the establishment of biobased value chains; avoid 25-30% of GHG emissions by means of supply chain and logistic optimisation; design 1 zero-waste multi-feedstock biorefinery at industrial scale (based on existing processes for biocompounds extraction and 2nd streams valorisation); validate 17 new products (3 food formulations, 3 feed additives, 5 cosmetics and nutraceutics, 1 plasticiser and 5 biofertilisers).
In order to achieve a successful implementation of the business models in its 3 regional hubs (Extremadura, Apulia and Western Macedonia), ROBOCOOP-EU will integrate multidisciplinary knowledge by developing co-creative spaces called “Living Labs”, where partners and stakeholders will discuss and validate the most consensual pathway towards sustainable and profitable co-participated biorefinery and seek for public and private fund scheme workable scenario.
ROBOCOOP-EU consortium is composed by 20 multisectorial partners, specifically designed to cover the entire bio-based value chain in non-competitive and complementary position, which in turn will ensure an effective dissemination and exploitation of results.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-JU-IA - HORIZON JU Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-CBE-2022

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Coordinator

CENTRO INTERNAZIONALE DI ALTISTUDI AGRONOMICI MEDITERRANEI
Net EU contribution
€ 428 236,36
Address
VIA CEGLIE 9
70010 Valenzano
Italy
Region
Sud Puglia Bari
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 497 120,60

Participants (21)

Partners (1)